VUW's Harry Lamont discusses Futsal, Friends, and Bragging Rights

Palmerston North’s Central Energy Trust courts are once again the venue for the three days of this year’s National Tertiary Futsal Championships. AUT, the University of Auckland, University of Waikato, Massey University, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Canterbury and University of Otago are represented in the men’s tournament. A number of the country’s top young players, fresh from playing in the Ford Futsal Super League, are taking part which guarantees some closely fought games and top quality futsal.

Warren Olsen (writer and commentator) sat down with Harry Lamont – a key member of last year’s men’s champions, Victoria University of Wellington – to see how their squad is shaping up for this year’s tournament.

Q: Another Tertiary Futsal Championship looms, is this a tournament you really look forward to along with the chance to get bragging rights over friends at other Uni’s?

HL: Definitely! It’s great to compete at the Tertiary Champs, especially against good friends I have at Canterbury and Otago Uni’s. Really looking forward to beating them and being able to remind them about that over the mid-trimester break. Our team as a group has kept the majority of players from last years title winning side, so I’m excited to be playing with my friends at a highly competitive competition in search of another title.

Q: You play football in the Central League as a striker for Upper Hutt city, we know from Chris Wood to Ronaldo many top strikers accredit playing futsal with developing their skills. Would you say it’s also been beneficial for you and how does your role on the futsal court differ in the preparation and skills required to that of football?

HL: Playing in the top league in Wellington I’ve found a big step up for me. There’re all ex pros or future professionals as I hope to be someday, so you really have to raise your level to just compete let alone stand out. I moved to Upper Hutt to get game time as a striker where I need to control the ball in the box and find space to shoot. This is similar to the ‘Pivot’ position I usually play in futsal where you always have a defender on your back so it’s important to know when to hold up the ball and when to beat your man.

Playing Futsal has taught me about the importance of constantly moving on and off the ball, the more you move the harder it is for a defender to track your run or predict what you’re going to do next. As a striker you tend to make set runs in behind and hope a through ball gets to you and your vision or being able to read the play a few passes in advance is also an important attribute for a striker in football, whereas in futsal it all happens so fast you don’t have time for that.

Less people on a futsal court has also taught me a lot about accountability, if you make a mistake or turn over the ball, although you need to try and fix that the game moves so fast you are quickly in the next phase of play so have no time to dwell on it. Translating this to the football field has helped me to move on easier from a missed chance or a poor touch, the mentality that it’s just a mistake and I will get the next one is an important lesson I’ve taken from futsal.

Q: You were a part of this seasons wider Capital Ford Futsal league squad which would have been a good experience. There will be a number of players who featured in the Super league taking part, what players should we look out for and who do you expect to be your main challengers for the title?

HL: The learnings I took from training twice a week at Futsal super league level was really positive. It’s also good to finally have some proper knowledge about the game as I’m still very new to futsal and especially at the higher level you realise it’s a much different game to football.

I’m not sure who will be the team to beat, clearly all the sides will be very competitive. The game we’re all looking forward to most though is against Canterbury as we have a number of mates there so that will be super competitive. We aren’t really worried about any individual players or teams as we know there will be close and hard-fought games all the way through and of course its those type encounters that make this Futsal competition all the more enjoyable.

Thanks Harry for giving us some insights, all the best to you and the Victoria Uni Men’s side at Palmerston North.

All games on the main court will be live streamed via NZ Football’s YouTube channel. Go to NZ Football, Competitions, Futsal for more details.  

Credit: Warren Olson; writer/commentator/friendsoffootballnz